The invention relates to an improved funfair ride, consisting of a rocking ship.
The prior art embraces a special type of funfair ride, comprising a pair of uprights to which a frame is connected, the frame being constituted by a shaft and a pair of levers of the first kind, with equal arms, which levers are arranged parallel between themselves, perpendicularly to the shaft and solidly connected to the shaft at their fulcrum; substantially, the frame is "H"-shaped. This H-frame is set in rotation by means of motor means that can be of various types.
The ride further comprises a ship, developing longitudinally, equipped with seats, which is arranged parallel to the shaft and has its lateral ends hinged each to an end of one of the levers in such a way as to be arranged all in one same semispace with respect to its hinge axis and in such a way also as to rotate freely about the said axis. A brake is also envisaged which can prevent, on command, the free rotation of the ship about its axis.
During the rotation of the frame, the ship, which would tend, due to gravity, to remain downwards-turned with the seated passengers "heads-up", is successively blocked and released in such a way as to perform rotations about its hinge axis, which cause the passengers to assume different positions with respect to those which they would tend to assume through force of gravity, if the ship were not braked. The sensation which the ride gives to the passengers is that resulting from these sequences of movements and anomalous positions, with respect to those assumed due to gravity.
This type of ride, which like almost all rides is mounted on a carriage so that it can be transported, has an important drawback. In order to be transported the ride, owing to its considerable mass when in working configuration, must be dismounted so as to make its size compatible with the maximum dimensions permitted for travelling vehicles.
In particular, it is necessary to remove the frame shaft, detach the ship and fold the uprights, leaving the levers connected to them, so as the said levers can be laid on the carriage. It is also necessary to use a second carriage for the transport of the shaft and the ship.
Apart from the long dismounting operation, which must be performed with the help of a crane of considerable size, these rides also need, for their transport, a further carriage apart from the one used as a support structure during the operation of the ride itself.
An aim of the present invention is that of eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a ride, of the type described, which can be put into transport position without the necessity of performing dismounting operations to its parts and which can be transported using only the carriage destined to function as a support structure during the functioning of the ride itself.
An advantage offered by the ride with respect to known rides is that of permitting the passengers a rapid and easy ascent and descent.
A further advantage of the ride in object is that of exhibiting very small flexional deformations of the ship, which leads to a drastic reduction in the forces on the arms of the levers.